DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN FINLAND: How to attract Russian tourists to Kymenlaakso?

Finland is a unique tourist destination. Tourists worldwide are interested in its untouched nature, pristine wilderness, and leisurely lifestyle. Foreign tourists are intrigued by this country, craving to visit it one day. However, many tourists go to Finland regularly; Russians are loyal tourists in Finland. Due to their high demand for Finnish services and goods, local companies face increased competition. Therefore, those businesses, familiar with Russian consumer behaviour and can influence their decision-making will have a significant advantage over competitors. The primary purpose of this thesis was to discover ways of attracting Russian tourists to Kymenlaakso region and increasing their purchase ability abroad. The thesis research aimed to find improvements in the services segment in Finland, identifying cultural differences of Russian tourists, which influence their decision-making while travelling abroad, and suggesting innovative marketing strategies. To achieve these goals, multiple literature and online sources were reviewed to conduct the research. A combination of both quantitative and qualitative research methods was implemented. The quantitative method included the conduction of an online survey, and the qualitative method focused on customer profile development. The RDI Department of the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) commissioned this research. The Digileap project at Xamk University focused on helping travel companies improve their knowledge of digital marketing tools and customer satisfaction. Therefore, the findings of this research such as innovative marketing strategies and proposed improvements in the tourism sector, are beneficial for the local business owners interested in promoting their products and service to Russian tourists